BSP to field controversial ex MLA's son from Ballia

Lucknow, July 27 (UNI) The ruling Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) today announced the names of its candidates for the by-elections to one Lok Sabha and three Assembly seats by giving a ticket to Vinay Shanker Tiwari, son of criminal-turned-politician Harishanker Tiwari, from the prestigious Ballia Lok Sabha seat.

Announcing the names of the party candidates, BSP general secretary and state cabinet minister Satish Chandra Mishra said Vinay Shanker Tiwari and his elder brother and Samajwadi Party leader Kushal Tiwari joined the BSP today.

Minister of state Medical Health (Independent charge) Anant Kumar Mishra will be the party candidate from Farrukhabad assembly seat, former MLA Ajit Kumar Yadav from Gunnaur assembly seat and former SP MLA Kazim Ali alias Naveed Mian from Suar Tanda assembly seat.

The by-elections will be held on August 29 while the process for filing of nomination papers will start from August 3.

Mr Mishra said Kushal Tiwari had unsuccessfully contested the last general elections on an SP ticket from Khalilabad Lok Sabha seat.

Harishanker Tiwari, who was a minister in the previous Mulayam Singh Yadav government, lost the last assembly polls against the BSP candidate from Chillupar assembly seat in Gorakhpur district.

The Ballia seat fell vacant following the death of former Prime Minister Chandrashekhar. His son Pankaj Singh is expected to contest the bypoll with the support of other parties.

The Gunnaur assembly seat in Badaun fell vacant after former Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav resigned after retaining the Bharthana seat in Etawah district following his election from both the seats.

Former SP MLA Kazim Ali resigned the Swartanda seat in Rampur district and joined the BSP last month. Son of senior Congress leader Noor Bano Mr Ali, who is opposed to SP leader Mohammad Azam Khan, is recontesting the seat on a BSP ticket.

Criminal turned politician Vijay Singh of SP resigned from the Farukkhubad seat last month and joined the BSP.

However, Mr Singh was expelled from the BSP by Chief Minister and party supremo Mayawati and later she announced the name of state minister Anant Kumar Singh as the party candidate from Farrukhubad assembly seat.

UNI